“Not a single criticism came from any gay leader who knows me.” – Rick Warren, pastor of Saddelback Church in Lake Forest, Calif.

Today’s agenda for Warren includes help in rebuilding Rwanda and concern over what the recession is doing to the spiritual climate of the U.S…. and celebrating Easter week, the same week Saddleback Church started 30 years ago. Congratulations Rick and church…may all the glory go to God!
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“I’ve stated my opposition to this,” the Senator said in response to a question from a viewer in San Leandro, California. “I think it’s unnecessary. I believe that marriage is between a man and a woman, and I’m not in favor of gay marriage, but when you start playing around with constitutions just to prohibit somebody who cares about another person…it just seems to me that that’s not what America is about. Usually, our constitutions expand liberties, they don’t contract them.” – Barack Obama

1. Persecution Blog co-author Hal has North Korea on his heart. The country is one of the greatest offenders of human rights in the world today. Many rank this country as the number one persecutor of Christians. Pray today for North Korea

3. Baptist Press posted a good article, Out of devastation, God has worked good, by David S. Dockery on the one-year anniversary of a tornado outbreak in the South. He writes… a year ago today — people across Tennessee and the entire Southeast were going about their normal, everyday business — until 87 tornadoes broke out in the region…Devastation was all around, but there was no despair. The words of the Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 4 became our own.

2. A greater and deeper look at baptism. Should we always look at it from a “water” perspective? Two thumbs up for Brother Mark’s Baptised Into The Body of Christ!

3. Uplifting and thought provoking poetry can always be found at Versical’s Blog. Mike’s post Happiness is one I chose for this week…how true, how true!

4. There aren’t fitting words to describe my reaction to this video of an abortion survivor’s talk and message. “Wow!” is one of the responses I had and from many others who sent me a response back from my forward. The Life of Thomas is truly an excellent blog…and this particular post, Inspirational Video has already touched many hearts.

Still ignorant of the fact that support for traditional marriage between a man and a woman does not equate to hate towards homosexuals, gay advocates are miffed that president-elect Barack Obama chose Pastor Rick Warren to give the invocation at his inauguration.

Even the media is confused between what gay rights mean versus a “right to marry.” In California, for example, the passage of Yes on 8 did not take away any rights from gay civil unions. Nevermind that, Ellen believes it’s all about hate, Obama has stated he supports traditional marriage, but danced around a bit with his answer when it came to gay rights in this area.

WASHINGTON — President-elect Barack Obama made no apologies Thursday for asking evangelical pastor Rick Warren to give the invocation at his inauguration, a move that infuriated gays angry at Warren’s support for California’s Proposition 8 banning gay marriage.

Obama said he and Warren don’t agree on everything, but he’s collected a group of people to appear at his inauguration who share a variety of viewpoints.

Repeating a line from his campaign, Obama said, “We have to disagree without being disagreeable and then focus on those things that we hold in common as Americans.”

Obama noted that he was invited to speak at Warren’s Saddleback Church despite Warren knowing that Obama supports gay and lesbian rights, and Dr. Joseph Lowery will give the benediction at the inaugural ceremony. Lowery holds “deeply contrasting views” with Warren on gay rights issues, Obama said.

Still, gay rights groups say they are appalled at the selection of Warren, whose church is 22,000 strong. Human Rights Campaign president Joe Solomnese sent Obama a letter asking him to reconsider what they say is a show of “disrespect” and a “genuine blow” to the gay community.

The invitation to Warren has “tarnished the view that gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Americans have a place” at Obama’s table, reads the letter.

“[W]e feel a deep level of disrespect when one of architects and promoters of an anti-gay agenda is given the prominence and the pulpit of your historic nomination,” Solomnese wrote…more.

Yeah, I mean really, why is Christmas such a big deal? Want find out the reason together?

I’m asking bloggers and whoever else to join me in a 3-week study on the purpose of Christmas. This will not be a big time consuming deal. It’s basic. My suggestion is to start by getting Rick Warren’s book, The Purpose of Christmas, then listen this coming Saturday’s (Dec. 6, 2008) opening message on the study by Saddleback Church’s Pastor Rick.

You’ll be able to view and listen online (live or archived) to his first message on the purpose of Christmas here!

Let’s do this! Let’s meet back here or at my other blog on Tuesday, Dec. 9th to discuss Rick’s opening message about the purpose of Christmas. Be sure to read that first chapter, “The Purpose of Christmas,” by then, too.